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43-514: Its aromatic, " labrusca " flavor is similar to that of Concord, but mellowed by the mild, sweet taste from Thompson Seedless. Thomcord grows well in hot, dry climates, ripens between late July and mid-August, and tolerates powdery mildew . It is a productive variety, yielding an average of 15.1 kg (33 lb) of grapes per vine, but has produced as much as 30 to 32 kg (66 to 71 lb) per vine in grower trials. The berries weigh between 2.72 and 3.38 g (0.096 and 0.119 oz) and have

86-620: A "sentimental favorite" at farmers' markets, it is not expected to become a major commercial variety because its flavor is not as neutral as more popular grapes, such as Thompson Seedless, Crimson Seedless , or Flame Seedless . However, Ramming predicted that it would become a specialty item, much like the Muscat varieties , due to its distinctive, Concord-like flavor. Because of its strong reception at farmers' markets, it could compete with Concord and Niabell varieties in eastern markets, according to Ramming. The Foundation Plant Services (FPS) at

129-524: A hit at farmers' markets while it was being tested, and it has appeared in the fresh-fruit section at supermarkets. This continued the long-standing success of the ARS' grape-breeding research in California, which has developed some of the most popular seedless grapes on the market as well as red, white, and black grapes varieties for hobbyists and professional growers since 1923. Although it has been called

172-662: A medium-thick, blue-black skin that adheres to the fruit, unlike Concord, which has a thick skin that can slip off the pulp easily. The aborted seeds in the fruit body are relatively small, but larger than those in Thompson Seedless. The plant is not restricted for propagation and distribution. Virus-free propagation material is available from the Foundation Plant Services (FPS) at the University of California, Davis , and its genetic material

215-537: A newly developed procedure for breeding novel, superior seedless grapes. The researchers wanted to demonstrate that plants created from embryo culture were derived from fertilized eggs ( zygotic ) instead of the maternal tissue (somatic). From 1231  emasculations (removal of male flower parts to control pollination) of Thompson Seedless, the researchers produced 130  ovules using embryo rescue procedures . From these, 40  embryos developed and three seedlings were planted. The original seedling of Thomcord

258-425: A normal production practice, Thomcord's is not thinned because of its smaller cluster size. The grape clusters range in weight between 259 and 534 g (0.571 and 1.177 lb) and average 340 g (0.75 lb), have medium to slightly loose tightness (or are "well-filled", meaning the individual pedicels are not easily visible), and have a conical shape with a small wing. Compared with Thompson Seedless,

301-423: A trunk or limb. Animals such as rodents will girdle trees by feeding on outer bark, often during winter under snow. Girdling can also be caused by herbivorous mammals feeding on plant bark and by birds and insects, both of which can effectively girdle a tree by boring rows of adjacent holes. Orchardists use girdling as a cultural technique to yield larger fruit or to set fruit. In viniculture (grape cultivation)

344-457: Is a plump, juicy, seedless table grape and is slightly firmer than Concord. Thomcord has a blue-black skin with medium thickness and a whitish bloom. Unlike Concord, whose tough skin separates easily from the fruit, Thomcord has a more edible skin that clings to the flesh, much like Thompson Seedless. It has an aromatic flavor, similar to the Concord in taste (" labrusca "), though lighter due to

387-555: Is a public variety and is not restricted in its propagation and distribution. Vitis labrusca Vitis labrusca , the fox grape , is a species of grapevines belonging to the Vitis genus in the flowering plant family Vitaceae . The vines are native to eastern North America and are the source of many grape cultivars , including Catawba , Concord , Delaware , Isabella , Niagara , and many hybrid grape varieties such as Agawam , Alexander and Onaka . Among

430-563: Is archived at the National Plant Germplasm System . After 17 years of testing, it was declared ready for use in 2003. It is currently available in supermarkets. Thomcord grape is a hybrid of Thompson Seedless grape ( Vitis vinifera , or Sultanina), which is popular in American (?) supermarkets during the summer, and seeded Concord grape ( Vitis labrusca ), commonly used to make grape juice and jelly. It

473-434: Is less susceptible to the fungus than Ruby Seedless , but more susceptible than Mars , Venus , Niabell , and Cayuga White varieties. The fungus can affect its leaves , stems , rachis (stem of the grape cluster ), and berries . The grape ripens in the summer (mid-season), between late July and mid-August. Thomcord is a productive variety, with a yield comparable to Thompson Seedless. When two cordons (arms) of

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516-496: Is normally only done to healthy trees that did not yield well the previous year. Care must be used not to damage sapwood that may kill the tree or vine . Trees normally heal in four to five weeks after cincturing. Painting the cut can protect against fungus and pests . Various animals can girdle trees through their feeding or others activities. In North America, trees are prone to damage by voles in particular girdling both their roots and trunk. Among North American birds,

559-607: Is not often used for commercial rootstock . It is a robust plant, and in many states can be considered weedy or invasive . Vitis labrusca is located along the eastern seaboard of North America from Nova Scotia down to Georgia and westward to the Mississippi River . Among American Viticultural Areas (AVA)s that produce wine from labrusca or hybrids derived from labrusca include Upper Mississippi Valley , Mississippi Delta , Ohio River Valley , Southeastern New England , Lake Erie as well as several AVAs in

602-424: Is on par with Venus, but heavier than Sovereign Coronation, and even more so than Thompson Seedless. The fruit's size has not been shown to increase appreciably by girdling the vines or by applying gibberellic acid when the berries set. The aborted seeds of Thomcord are small, but in some years they can become sclerified (a thickening and lignification of the walls of plant cells and the subsequent dying off of

645-416: Is the circumferential removal or injury of the bark (consisting of cork cambium or "phellogen", phloem , cambium and sometimes also the xylem ) of a branch or trunk of a woody plant . Girdling prevents the tree from sending nutrients from its foliage to its roots, resulting in the death of the tree over time, and it can also prevent flow of nutrients in the other direction depending on how much of

688-404: The University of California, Davis indexed Thomcord and found it to be free of known viruses. The FPS offers certified virus-free propagation material. The FPS also deposited genetic material in the National Plant Germplasm System , which offers material for research, including development and commercialization of new cultivars. The ARS does not offer Thomcord plants for distribution. Thomcord

731-420: The carbohydrates produced in the leaves do not go to the roots for storage. Girdling temporarily stops tree growth. Root pruning , an ancient Asian practice, and other controlled damaging, such as driving nails into the trunk or beating the branches and trunk, produce results that are similar to girdling. Girdling is commonly used on grape, avocado , apple , litchi , mango , citrus and other trees. Girdling

774-535: The protoplasts ), making them more noticeable inside the medium-soft flesh. There are usually two aborted seeds per berry, which averaged between 14 and 22.3 mg in 2001 and 2002. This varied in comparison to Venus depending on the year and location, was comparable to the Sovereign Coronation, and was significantly smaller than the Sovereign Rose and Saturn varieties. However, as with

817-436: The sapsuckers are the most common girdlers of trees. While sapsuckers will bore holes in tree trunks to feed upon insects, they also make parallel rings of holes in order to eat sap that collects in the openings or to feed it to their young. They most frequently attack pine, birch, maple, spruce and fruit trees and do the most damage during breeding season and territory establishment between February and June. Beavers girdle

860-608: The xylem is left untouched, and the tree can usually still temporarily transport water and minerals from the roots to the leaves. Trees normally sprout shoots below the wound; if not, the roots die. Death occurs when the roots can no longer produce ATP and transport nutrients upwards through the xylem . The formation of new shoots below the wound can be prevented by painting the wound with herbicide. Ring barking techniques have been developed to disrupt or impede sugar transport in phloem, stimulating early flower production and increasing fruiting, and for controlling plant size, reducing

903-606: The Concord grape. This musk is not related to the mammalian fox , but rather to the strong, earthy aromas characteristic of the grapes that were known by early European-American settlers in the New World . The term "foxy" became a sort of catchall for the wine tasting descriptors used for these American wines that were distinct from the familiar flavors of the European viniferous wines. According to wine historian Edward Hyams and wine expert Jancis Robinson , Vitis labrusca

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946-415: The animal , serves as a catch-all term to describe the unique, earthy and sweet muskiness that can be perceived in fresh Concord grapes as well as grape juice made from Concord and other labrusca varieties like Niagara. In the 1920s, scientists were able to isolate the aroma compound responsible for the "foxy" musk as methyl anthranilate . Girdling Girdling , also called ring-barking ,

989-600: The bases of stems 3-6 inches in diameter, and girdle the roots of larger trees. This often weakens or kills trees. In the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe, the eastern grey squirrel is also known to girdle or entirely strip bark from trees. Bucks (male deer ) inadvertently girdle trees by rubbing their antlers on trees of various ages. Agrilus biguttatus can girdle trees through their feeding behavior and create zigzag galleries that measure up to 1.5 meters in length. One of several ways rabbits damage

1032-413: The berries near harvest and become fully ripe , they separate easily from the pedicel (berry stem). If the berry is squeezed gently between two fingers, the thick skin will slip easily off leaving the pulp intact as a ball. This trait gives Vitis labrusca the name of "slip skin" grapes. Another trait of labrusca that aids ampelographers in identification of vines and hybrid varieties descended from

1075-399: The berry weight and diameter of Thomcord are larger, but cluster tightness is similar. The berry length ranged between 18.2 and 18.3 mm (0.72 and 0.72 in) and the diameter ranged from 16.7 to 17.2 mm (0.66 to 0.68 in) in tests between 2001 and 2002. The berries weigh between 2.72 and 3.38 g (0.096 and 0.119 oz), averaging 2.85 g (0.101 oz) in 2002, which

1118-414: The characteristics of this vine species in contrast to the European wine grape Vitis vinifera are its "slip-skin" that allows the skin of the grape berries to easily slip off when squeezed, instead of crushing the pulp , and the presence of tendrils on every node of the cane. Another contrast with European vinifera is the characteristic "foxy" musk of V. labrusca , best known to most people through

1161-537: The humidity of southeastern US). In fact, in areas of the United States where vinifera does flourish in the west, the conditions during the growing season are often too arid for labrusca vines. According to University of California, Davis viticulture expert A. J. Winkler , outside of the vinifera Muscat family of grapes , Vitis labrusca varieties have the most pronounced aromas among wine grape varieties. The description of "foxy", not derived from

1204-407: The leaves have no sinks but the fruit, which grows to above the normal size. For grapes girdling or cincturing is used to make the grapes large and sweeter on the grape canopy and are sold as girdled grapes . Flowering and fruit setting is a problem on some trees; girdling may improve yield in the same way. The "damage" done by girdling restricts the movement of nutrients to the roots , thus

1247-431: The mature and young leaf there are dense hairs that lie flat against the surface. The teeth on the edge of the leaf blade are convex on both sides, medium in size, and short relative to their width. Young leaf blades are dark copper red on the upper surface. The shoots have at least three consecutive tendrils . Young shoots are fully open and have very dense hairs of medium anthocyanin coloration that lie flat against

1290-406: The mixed oak woodland. Girdling can be used to create standing dead wood, or snags . This can provide a valuable habitat for a variety of wildlife, including insects and nesting birds. Girdling is also used as a technique to force a fruit-bearing plant to bear larger fruit. A farmer would place a girdle (bark removal) at base of a large branch or at the trunk. Thus, all sugars manufactured by

1333-449: The need for pruning. Girdling is a slow process compared to felling and is often used only when necessary, such as in the removal of an individual tree from an ecologically protected area without damaging surrounding growth. Accidental girdling is also possible and some activities must be performed with care. Saplings which are tied to a supporting stake may unintentionally be girdled as they grow, due to friction caused by contact with

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1376-417: The other cultivars , it was consistently larger than Thompson Seedless, which had the smallest aborted seeds. The mature leaves on the vine have three lobes with open upper lateral sinuses (spaces between the lobes) of medium depth. The main vein is slightly longer than the petiole (stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem), and the petiole sinus opens widely. Between the veins on the underside of both

1419-427: The species is the large, thick leaves of the vines that have a hairy underside with dense brown or white hairs. Like many other American vine species, Vitis labrusca has some natural resistance to many grape diseases , including phylloxera . However, its resistance and grafting compatibility is not as high as that of other species, such as Vitis aestivalis , Vitis rupestris and Vitis berlandieri , and it

1462-648: The states of New York , Virginia , Ohio and Michigan . In the Canadian Province of Ontario, the use of Vitis labrusca varieties is not permitted by the VQA regulatory and appellation system, except for Vidal , a hybrid grape varietal. Unlike vinifera , hybrids and Vitis labrusca varieties can better withstand the severe continental conditions of eastern North America with severely cold winters and hot, humid summers. (However, labrusca doesn't do quite as well as varieties like Vitis rotundifolia in

1505-539: The sweet, mild taste from Thompson Seedless. Thomcord is suitable for hot, dry growing conditions, more so than Concord and other Concord seedless types. Its adaptability to hot dry climates was derived from Thompson Seedless. It grows well in California's vineyards , particularly the San Joaquin Valley , just like Thompson Seedless. The plant is tolerant of (but not resistant to) powdery mildew , and

1548-421: The technique is also called cincturing . Like all vascular plants, trees use two vascular tissues for transportation of water and nutrients: the xylem (also known as the wood ) and the phloem (the innermost layer of the bark ). Girdling results in the removal of the phloem , and death occurs from the inability of the leaves to transport sugars (primarily sucrose ) to the roots . In this process,

1591-476: The tie. If ropes are tied frequently to a tree (e.g. to tether an animal or moor a boat), the friction of the rope can also lead to the removal of bark. The practice of girdling has been known in Europe for some time. Another example is the girdling of selected Douglas-fir trees in some Northern California oak woodlands , such as Annadel State Park , in order to prevent that Douglas-fir from massive invasion of

1634-480: The tip. The internode of the young shoot is green with red stripes on the front (dorsal) side and solid green on the back (ventral) side. In 1983, research horticulturist David W. Ramming and technician Ronald L. Tarailo—Californian grape breeders working for the ARS, the chief scientific research agency of the USDA—crossed Thompson Seedless and Concord in order to answer a technical question about

1677-579: The vines are trained horizontally on wires (" bilateral-trained ") and are pruned to remove most of the previous year's growth (" spur-pruned ") during the winter, it can produce up to 13–16 kg (29–35 lb) per vine, or an average of 15.1 kg (33 lb). In 2002, cane-pruned vines of Thomcord were significantly more productive than Sovereign Coronation and were comparable to the Venus variety, averaging 21.3 kg (47 lb) per vine. Unlike Thompson Seedless, which has its cluster size thinned as

1720-407: The xylem is removed. A branch completely girdled will fail; and, when the main trunk of a tree is girdled, the entire tree will die if it cannot regrow from above to bridge the wound. Human practices of girdling include forestry , horticulture , and vandalism . Foresters use the practice of girdling to thin forests . Extensive cankers caused by certain fungi , bacteria or viruses can girdle

1763-709: Was among the American vines transported to Europe that were carrying the phylloxera louse that caused widespread devastation to the European vineyards planted with Vitis vinifera . Also in the 19th century, Ephraim Bull of Concord, Massachusetts , cultivated seeds from wild labrusca vines to create the Concord grape which would become an important agricultural crop in the United States. The majority of Vitis labrusca grape varieties are red, although white varieties such as Niagara and "pink-skinned" varieties such as Catawba have dark colored berries high in phenolic compounds that produced strongly flavored wines. As

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1806-549: Was planted in 1984 in plots in cooperation with California State University, Fresno . It was later selected in 1986 by Ramming and Tarailo and tested in the San Joaquin Valley under the name A29-67, and was introduced as "Thomcord." The new hybrid was tested and scrutinized for 17 years before it was declared ready for growers and gardeners and was released on 11 September 2003. Around 2008, trials outside of California were just beginning. Thomcord quickly became

1849-469: Was probably the species seen by Leif Ericsson growing wild along the coast of Vinland in the 11th century. There is ample evidence that the labrusca was growing wild in North America before Europeans arrived. The vine was not officially identified and recorded until Carl Linnaeus and his peers started cataloging American vine species in the mid-18th century. In the 19th century, Vitis labrusca

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